Cast Iron Skillets and Teflon Frying Pans

By Keith N Fisher

First, let me apologize. I’ve been studying for a big test, and haven’t posted for a couple of weeks. I passed the test, so I’mmm baaaack.

How many of you have seen an old cast iron skillet that has a smooth surface? No matter what you cook, it won’t stick. The iron surface, once porous, is now tougher than Teflon. I used one of those when I was a kid.

How many of you have seen an old skillet with rust spots or (heaven forbid), it had gone completely rusty? Did you know rust could get into your diet and cause health problems?
Not to worry, however, rust can be removed and you can start fresh, building a new seasoning. Eventually, the surface will smooth out and you will be able to cook anything, non-stick.

Several years ago, Space age science developed a process to coat an ordinary steel frying pan and make it non-stick, right out of the box. They called it Teflon, and everybody purchased plastic spatulas in order to keep from scratching the surface.

Still, the first generation coatings ended up scraping off. Do you remember the news reports of the late eighties and early nineties about the danger of Teflon scraping off into your food? They claimed it would cause illness.

Today, Teflon is tougher, but it can still be scraped off and then rust could start. As I said, I’ve been taking a test and haven’t done the research, but can anybody tell me if the Teflon health risk is still there? Did it really exist? I’m sure our non-regulation government would have made sure it was safe, don’t you?

So, I ask you, If you were shopping in a thrift store and could choose between a rusty cast iron skillet and a scratched Teflon (possibly rusty) frying pan, which would you choose?

I have written before, about the process of re-seasoning cast iron. (Use the search box to find it). I can’t re-apply Teflon, but even if I could, I don’t think it would be cost effective. That’s the nature of our society, Its cheaper to throw it away and buy a new one.

Mankind has been cooking in cast iron for hundreds of years. Some claim the benefits of iron leaching into the food are numerous. Choose the tried and true method of our grand mothers. I think you’ll be glad you did.

Dreaming of a Backyard Kitchen

By Keith N Fisher

I’d just finished schlepping my equipment to our assigned area in a cook off when my good friend put a hand on his back and said, “You’d think I’d come up with a lighter hobby.”

I said something like, “Either that, or hire someone to load/unload, setup/takedown. Then you could show up just in time for the cooks meeting and enjoy the fun part.”

It seems, every year at this time my mind turns to thoughts of permanent outdoor kitchens and chuck wagon trailers. Of course those things wouldn’t eliminate all the hard work it takes to be a culinary hero, but it would be nice. To be able to carry a sack of groceries to the back yard and start cooking on a moment’s notice, without having to endure the heavy setup and take down.

It’s true, camp cooking has many labor intensive operations attached to it. There is, however, nothing better than sitting in your lawn chair, surrounded by a group of people with satiated appetites, knowing your equipment is all packed.

After an interesting dream last Saturday night, I made a pilgrimage the next day. I went back to the Vineyard Ward Chapel. Okay, my pilgrimage was only about six miles. Anyway, I drove to the church I attended from about one year old, until I turned fourteen. It’s a common practice in an area of growth for the LDS Church to divide stake/ward units. It happened to us, and we ended up going to a chapel on the other side of town.

I hadn’t been back for some time. I wanted to go inside, but I decided to not interrupt the meetings going on. I drove around the back and looked at the building. There have been a few changes over the years, but I was able to envision the things I remember.

One thing that hadn’t changed, however, was the outdoor fireplace. Well, they might’ve put in a damper, and they covered the whole area with a pavilion. I remembered attending many ward activities as a kid, on that patio next to the fireplace. I roasted hot dogs in front of it, and I joined my friends in climbing up the cold chimney.

While turning the truck around during my pilgrimage, I turned to my daughter and told her I used to climb up inside that chimney. I'm sure she was impressed. Well, maybe not.

The journey helped me remember things long forgotten. Some of the repressed memories explain why I do things the way I do. Seeing the old fireplace inspired my dreams and gave me an idea about the backyard kitchen I plan to build someday. I wonder if the neighbors behind me would object if I used part of their yard to build my pavilion.

There in the corner, would stand the fireplace of my childhood. (With a chimney screen to keep children out.) In my design, the wings would be similar, but one would have four built in camp chef burners and an imbedded steel plate in the brickwork. It would be large enough to hold several hot Dutch ovens. The other wing would have a counter top with a draining sink. Under that counter would be drawers, a water heater, and propane storage. I’d connect to the sprinkler system for water, and the drain would go to the sewer.

Well, it’s not totally finished in my mind yet, but when I’m done, It will be glorious. Maybe I’ll invite you all over. Make a comment and tell us your plans for the perfect backyard kitchen.

Thanks to Dave Horton of North Collins, New York, for the pictures of his Dutch oven equipment Trailer. There have been many built since, but he made one of the first ones I ever saw.

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Achieving Peace with Cast Iron

By Keith N Fisher

How is your summer going? Have you been serving as camp cook during your vacation? I’ve been handicapped this summer, having to work every Saturday. I could go for one day during the week, but my family can only go on weekends. Cooking great food for one is okay, but camp cooking is a spectator sport. It’s like a football game with nobody in the bleachers.

With all the great meals you’re cooking, I hope you find a little time to go down to the water and throw your line in. Catch a few fish and find a little peace in your lives.

Speaking of peace and the way things are heating up in the world, I think I’ve found one thing that everyone can agree upon. I suggest we bring all the leaders of the opposing sides to my house. I’ll take the weekend off and get some friends to help me cook for them.

Maybe with their mouths full, they’ll listen long enough for someone to suggest peace, tolerance and forgiveness. I’ll make two different types of cobbler for dessert. Those who agree to get along will get one kind of cobbler. Those leaders who still want to fight will get the one laced with Prozac.

It might not bring peace, but the combatants won’t care much.

A Dark and Stormy Night

By Keith Fisher

We’ve been having thunderstorms where I live, and there have been power outages all over the area. My power went out about 10:30 last night. I called about midnight to report the outage and they said it would take about three hours. It never came on. Now I sit pondering what to eat for breakfast.

It seems I've fallen into the trap of microwave breakfasts. I could set up my Dutch ovens and make a wonderful breakfast, but who has time for that? The whole situation puts me in mind of my great grandmother Fisher.

In order to feed breakfast to her large brood, she rose early, built up the fire in the cast iron range, and started cooking. Between other chores, she kept her family fed. Rumor has it, she would start a pot of cracked wheat on the range before going to bed and by morning it would be mush.

Life has certainly gotten easier since then, but is it better? Cast iron cooking is great for camping, and in the back yard, but few people cook in it everyday.

The power was back on by 7:30 but the linemen found another, apparently common problem farther down the line. The cables that run under our subdivisions are getting old and the insulation is wearing out in places. broken insulation allows water penetration and causes it to ground.

The linemen show up, cut the power, then run DC current back through. When the ground appears, they know where to look in order to repair it.

The jocularity and camaraderie of the linemen was shared by some of us from the neighborhood. I had a lot of fun watching them repair the line. It made me wish I had the presence of mind to make breakfast in my Dutch ovens for the bunch of them.

Now that I think of it, I really wish I had. Maybe next time, they would fix my power outage before the others.

Who gets the Cast Iron?

By Keith N Fisher

I used to joke about the number of Dutch ovens I own, by saying I’m going to buried with them and I’ll make sure my enemies get to be pall bearers. I still think its funny, especially when you see my collection.

I had occasion to go through some goods left over in an estate the other day. There were two 12-inch Dutch ovens. One deep, and one shallow. I couldn’t determine the maker because I had limited time. The seasoning on those ovens was good and thick. Someone used them with loving care.

With the thickness of the seasoning on the estate ovens, I imagined an heir opening the lid and thinking he would have to scrub that gunk off forever, just to get it cleaned. It had to be that way, or the ovens wouldn’t have been for sale.

Of course I clean my ovens inside and out and I like a thinner seasoning, but the experience caused me to reflect on wills and estates and who gets what. There is a tale about George Washington’s mother, Mary Ball Washington mentioning, her cast iron cookware in her will.

In consideration of that, I wondered who would get my cast iron. I suppose my daughter would ultimately get it, but I’m not sure she cares about it, like I do. Maybe I should reconsider the old joke?

Actually, I like the idea of putting it up for auction. My Dutch oven friends could come to the wake and examine my pots. Then, the auction pulpit could be my open casket. Proceeds would pay for my family’s trip around the world.

Now, that leads to another question. How much is seasoning worth anyway. Most people think of used, in terms of cut rate prices, but after cooking with it for a lot of years, Cast iron becomes better. That makes the seasoning invaluable. Say hello to your cruise honey.

I once listened to a story about a man who cooked dinner for a neighbor and left it in the oven. After a few days, the neighbor came back carrying his Dutch oven. “I want to thank you for that wonderful meal,” the neighbor said. “I’m so grateful, I wanted to do something special. It took several hours, but I think I got most of the black off.”

I made stuffed pork roast on a rack of apple wedges for a cook off once. Jesse’s comment on last week’s blog made me want to try it with pork chops. I’ll let you know how it comes out.

Pioneer Day

By Keith N Fisher

First off, I keep getting compliments about this blog from a good friend of mine. He never leaves a comment, but he tells me at church. Just a note to say, Hi Jess.

Second, I have to update something I said before. Apparently, the powers that be in our ward tried to reserve the park for our annual Pioneer Day (24th of July) dinner and they couldn’t get it. They tried another park and couldn’t get it either. So, with a heavy heart I announce, we won’t be cooking for our church group this year. Too bad, we were planning some scrumptious food. I’ll save the recipes for next year, or whenever I have to cook for three hundred or so.

What are you doing in honor of the Mormon Pioneers who crossed the plains to the Salt Lake Valley? Even if you’re not religious and you live in Utah, chances are, you have a day off from work, so what are you going to do with it?

Can I recommend cooking pioneer recipes in your Dutch ovens? You could combine a great meal with a learning experience. Many of our old standby recipes were staples cooked by our forefathers.

A few years ago, I was involved with an event called The Wagon Train Cook off. Everyone was required to cook a recipe from the nineteenth century. Preferably, something that might have been cooked during the migration.

We ended up with things like bison and apple pie. Some cooks didn’t observe the rules, but others made some pretty simple recipes. Wendy and I made bean soup, sour dough bread and a pie we found in an old cookbook. The research taught me about using fat for flavor when cooking meats. I also found some great recipes from my grandmother’s cookbook.

I’m not sure what I’ll be cooking this weekend, but I’d like to hear some of your ideas. Send me your recipe and I’ll place it here on the blog, along with your picture. Maybe I’ll persuade my closet to cough up a prize, although I’m not sure how to decide who wins . . . Oh, I know, random drawing of all who respond. The email address without the dots and ampersands is uvdutch at live dot com.

Have a great holiday weekend and cook something delicious.

Dessert

By Keith N Fisher

Why do so many people say Desert is the best course? Others want to start with desert so they don’t run out of room in their belly. Last Friday evening we had the opportunity to make desert in Dutch ovens at the ward camp out. I had to work both Friday and Saturday, so Camping was out of the question.

We showed up about six-fifteen, cooked out the back of the truck and had three 14-inch cobblers and three turtle cakes ready in time for the program. After getting compliments I said to one lady that she could’ve done just as good a job as we did. She said, Maybe so, but I don’t as many Dutch ovens as you do.

It’s true though, There are many folks in my ward who could make terrific deserts in Dutch ovens but we get asked to do the honors, (I’m sure) because the leadership feels we need the opportunity. Our food gets built up out of proportion because we had the good fortune to win at the World Championships once.

But I digress.

Speaking of which, though, In all those years of competition, one of the things I remember most was listening to the admiration about desert from spectators. Personally, I admire meat, but I always heard wows when someone presented a cheesecake or a three-layer cake. Removing a pie from a hot Dutch oven without a pie plate was sure to please a crowd.

Taste, however, is the issue. You can burn the meat, or add too much salt to the bread, but if the cake tastes flat, nobody wants to eat it.

With all the joy desert brings, I still find it interesting that desert intimidates many people. Here’s a simple recipe to try.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

In a 12-inch Dutch oven, melt ¼ pound of butter. Toss in a couple of hands full of brown sugar. Arrange canned pineapple rings on top of the sugar with one in the center. Fill each hole with a maraschino cherry (no stem). Next, make a white or yellow cake mix. Pour over the pineapple. Note: if a cherry pops up, push it back down with your finger.

Now use nine coals in a ring under the pot, (none in the center). 15 coals on top (Checkerboard pattern). The cake is done when a toothpick, inserted, comes out clean. Let cake cool with lid ajar. Using gloves, flip oven over quickly and catch the cake unto a rack or plate. The pineapple and cherries are on the top.

If this last part doesn’t work, don’t worry. It tastes great inside the pot. I once had an accident and the cake fell apart when I flipped it. We ate what didn’t land on the floor.